[ZESTCaste] Business and caste in India
http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9909319 Business and caste in India With reservations Oct 4th 2007 | BANGALORE, CHENNAI AND DELHI From The Economist print edition India's government is threatening to make companies hire more low-caste workers Landov A 23-YEAR-OLD dressed in white pyjama trousers and a black over-shirt represents two worlds in India that know almost nothing of each other. One is fast growing, but tiny: the world of business. Strolling through the Californian-style campus in Bangalore that serves as the headquarters of Infosys, a computer-services company, she grins and declares herself glad. Her brother, she adds shyly, is so proud that she is an Infoscion. He is in the rural world where 70% of Indians reside: cultivating the family plot in Bannahalli Hundi, a village near Mysore. Life is less delightful there. Half the 4,000 population are brahmins, of the Hindu priestly caste. The rest, including the software engineer and her family, are dalits, members of a scheduled caste that was once considered untouchable. Sixty years on this is still the case in Bannahalli Hundi, says the young woman, who does not want to be named. She has never entered the house of a brahmin neighbour. When a dalit was recently hired to cook at the village school, brahmins withdrew their children. Has there been no weakening of caste strictures in her lifetime? I have not seen it, she says. The tale is in startling contrast to Infosys's modernity, and she is embarrassed by it. But it partly explains how she came to be hired by a company that is considered to be one of India's best. She is the beneficiary of a charitable training scheme for dalit university-leavers that Infosys launched last year. In collaboration with the elite Bangalore-based International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Infosys is providing special training to low-caste engineering graduates who have failed to get a job in its industry. The training, which lasts seven months, does not promise employment. But of the 89 who completed the first course in May, all but four have found jobs. Infosys hired 17. The charity was born of a threat. India's Congress-led government has told companies to hire more dalits and members of tribal communities. Together these groups represent around a quarter of India's population and half of its poor. Manmohan Singh, the prime minister, has given warning that strong measures will be taken if companies do not comply. Many interpret that to mean the government will impose caste-based hiring quotas. Quotas already apply in education and government, where since 1950 22.5% of university places and government jobs have been reserved for dalits and tribal people. In addition, since 1993, 27% of government jobs have been reserved for members of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs)—castes only slightly higher up the Hindu hierarchy. Promoting the wretched This is not enough for supporters of reservations. Since the introduction of liberal reforms in the early 1990s, public-sector hiring has slowed and businesses have boomed. Extending reservations to companies, they argue, would therefore safeguard an existing policy of promoting the Hindu wretched. It would almost certainly require changes to the constitution. But low-caste politicians are delighted by the prospect, so it could happen. The chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, a dalit leader called Mayawati, has said 30% of company jobs should be reserved for dalits, members of the OBCs and high-caste and Muslim poor. Chandra Bhan Prasad, a dalit journalist, applauds this and argues that it would be in the interest of companies. It is in the culture of dalits that they are least likely to change their employment because they are so loyal to their masters, he says. It would also help them become a new caste [sic] of consumers. Businessmen are unconvinced. Government, in both its intrusiveness and its incompetence, is a hindrance to them. Caste-based hiring quotas would be just another burden. People given a right to a job tend not to work very hard. So, in an effort to avert Mr Singh's threat, many companies and organisations that represent them are launching their own affirmative-action schemes. The Confederation of Indian Industry has introduced a package of dalit-friendly measures, including scholarships for bright low-caste students. The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry plans to support entrepreneurs in India's poorest districts. Naukri.com, India's biggest online recruitment service, with over 10m subscribers, anticipates that companies will soon actively seek low-caste recruits. It has therefore started asking job-seekers to register their caste. Basic training Infosys's training scheme, as described by S. Sadagopan, the IIIT'S director, is a Pygmalion undertaking. Meeting the parents of his dalit students, he saw almost an anger in their eyes. For the first month the students were unresponsive. Their
[ZESTCaste] Collector for speedy disposal of atrocity cases
Collector for speedy disposal of atrocity cases http://www.indiapress.org/gen/news.php/The_Hindu/400x60/0 Staff Reporter ADILABAD: In order to speed up progress in cases under the SC, ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act, review meetings should be held once every quarter at divisional level, Collector Ahmad Nadeem said on Friday. He asked officials to work on the pending cases under the Act. At a review meeting of SC, ST cases, the Collector said Rs. 4.92 lakh was disbursed as immediate relief to 36 victims of atrocities. Another 35 cases were in different stages of progress. Mr. Nadeem asked officials to circulate details of the cases to members of the SC, ST panel so that they could prepare for the review well in advance.
[ZESTCaste] BSP mouthpiece to hit stands on Oct 9 (News)
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/BSP_mouthpiece_to_hit_stands_on_Oct_9/articleshow/2433529.cms BSP mouthpiece to hit stands on Oct 9 6 Oct 2007, 0053 hrs IST,Subodh Ghildiyal ,TNN NEW DELHI: On the first death anniversary of mentor Kanshi Ram, Mayawati will announce the beginning of Maya Yug . BSP is set to hit the media market with its mouthpiece on October 9, in what is the Dalit leader's unique way to signal a complete change of guard of the Dalit movement-turned-political force. Though the magazine will be unveiled at a rally in Lucknow on the first death anniversary of the party founder, the title will be a statement of Mayawati being the presiding deity of the Dalit outfit. The magazine will replace Bahujan Sangathak , the wound-up mouthpiece which was launched by Kanshi Ram in the 1980s to mobilise workers and acquaint them with the fledgling party's ideology. Meant for sympathisers, it was an amateurish newsletter in black and white, and brought out on a low-quality newsprint. Maya Yug , however, will be different not just from Sangathak but will also represent an improvisation on political mouthpieces in circulation, be it Sandesh of Congress, Kamal Sandesh of BJP, People's Democracy of CPM or Organiser of RSS, which are staid and traditional in treatment of issues, and confined to the cadre. A news-monthly, Maya Yug will attempt to be part of the mainstream media, in what signifies the party's new-found confidence. Sources said it would be a commercial venture available on news-stands. Likely to be priced at Rs 25, it will be an all-colour glossy product running into 52 pages. What may set it apart is that it will be an advertisement-free product. Mayawati will be the chief editor by virtue of being the BSP boss but there will be two other partymen to run the magazine on a routine basis.
[ZESTCaste] Cells to deal Dalit issues (News)
Cells to deal Dalit issues http://www.indiapress.org/gen/news.php/The_Hindu/400x60/0 Staff Reporter Focus on education, culture Cells to coordinate between aggrieved Dalits and the State SCs, STs to be sensitised on their privileges NELLORE: In a bid to address problems pertaining to Dalits besides empowering them on many fronts, 'SC and ST Ikya Vedika of Nellore', has set up various cells. With most of the Dalits being illiterates or semi literates, formation of a platform became inevitable to ensure educational, cultural, and economic empowerment of Dalits. Hence the Ikya Vedika, which is an apolitical association comprising educated and economically empowered Dalits, has taken the initiative of setting up different cells, 'SC and ST Ikya Vedika of Nellore' president Dr. A. Penchalaiah told reporters on Friday. Objectives Outlining the objectives of the forum, Dr. Penchalaiah said the grievance cell, for instance, would function as an intermediary, which would coordinate between the aggrieved Dalits and departments or sections of the Government concerned in a bid to address grievances. As a whole, the cell will make an effort to develop responsive and accountable attitude among officials to ensure that that there is no laxity in terms of fair deal with Dalits. At the same time it will also sensitise SCs and STs on the Constitutionally guaranteed privileges, Government schemes and other related aspects. The Ikya Vedika president said the Dalits across the district could bring their grievances to the notice of the cell, which has been functioning from Ikya Vedika's office premises at Aravinda Nagar, Nellore either personally or by phone (0861-2328281, 94402-78239) on Sundays. It will in turn takes up their problems or issues to the notice of the officials concerned on Monday. Cultural cell Meanwhile, the cultural cell comprising 'Kala Brindams' will tour each and every village to spread the message of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar.
[ZESTCaste] Immolation: Panel summons SSP (News)
Immolation: Panel summons SSP http://www.indiapress.org/gen/news.php/The_Tribune/400x60/0 Batala, October 5 Taking note of a news item published in The Tribune regarding immolation by a Dalit boy after allegedly being harassed by certain influential persons of his village and the police, chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes Buta Singh has summoned the SSP, Batala, and the Inspector-General of the border range. The commission has sought from the officials clarification on the alleged harassment of the boy and asked them to appear before the commission on October 11. It has been alleged that Sandeep Singh of Matholla village in the Sri Hargobindpur area, was driven to self-immolation by certain influential persons of the village and the police who believed he had stolen the mobile phone of his teacher. Batala SSP R.N. Dhoke said he had not received the summons yet. — TNS -- Subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a BLANK email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] Ambedkar's statue desecrated, 4 held (News)
Ambedkar's statue desecrated, 4 held Tension grips Siwan Gate area of Kaithal http://www.indiapress.org/gen/news.php/The_Tribune/400x60/0 Our Correspondent Kaithal, October 5 Tension gripped the Siwan Gate area here last night after some miscreants allegedly desecrated a statue of Dr B.R. Ambedkar at Ambedkar Chowk. The miscreants allegedly broke one arm of the statue, besides damaging some vehicles in the area. As word about the incident spread, people in large numbers gathered near the damaged statue. The police took four youths in custody for interrogation which helped ease the situation. Some persons noticed the desecration and raised the alarm following which the police was informed. SHO (city) Ravinder Tomar and Jagat Singh, inspector, CIA, reached the spot along with a police force. The situation became tense when the crowd that had gathered at the site started raising slogans. SSP Anil Kumar also reached the the site and assured the people that strict action would be taken against those behind the incident. However, the crowd laid a siege to the area and did not allow the movement of traffic. In the meantime, the police took in custody four youths identified as Balwinder of Patti Afgan, Rohit of Mahadev Colony, Mahesh of Subhash Nagar and Gagan Deep of Mata Gate. Protestors could be seen near the site of the incident this morning also. The four youths have been arrested and were produced in the court of Judicial Magistrate Rajnish Sharma, who remanded them in police custody for a day. Dalit leaders have condemned the incident.
